


You didn't fix her?

by Hacereadsenochian (Grannahreadsenochian)



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Feels, Ficlet, Ironwood feels, Just a little thing I had floating around in my brain, Nothing big, Penny feels, Penny is dead, Ruby feels, SO SAD, Sadness, hashtag denial, penny - Freeform, yo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 11:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6114588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grannahreadsenochian/pseuds/Hacereadsenochian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby is visiting Weiss in Atlas when who should she stumble upon but General Ironwood, leaving Schnee Dust Headquarters. She asks to see Penny, and does not get the answer she was expecting </p><p>Much sadness</p>
            </blockquote>





	You didn't fix her?

**Author's Note:**

> This is crap.  
> This was not at all edited or betad or whatever you wanna call it. I wrote it and posted it.  
> So there is literally no plot, or exposition, or nothing. It basically picks up right after the summary, Ironwood is leaving Schnee Dust Headquarters and this ensues.  
> I might add to it later (I definitely will add to it later) but I wanted to post this bit at least before I go away this weekend.

Ruby is walking around with Weiss when lo and behold she sees General Ironwood. If he's here, Penny must be here also! Weiss tries to stop her but Ruby doesn't listen and runs after him. Weiss watches her run off, a sad look on her face. 

"What is it- Oh, Ruby." His gaze that had held annoyance changes when he sees who it is. There's almost... guilt in his gaze. "What is it?" He asks more gently.  
"I-" Now that she's here, now that it's happening, she can't quite bring herself to choke out the words. It's not at all like she'd imagined, but she's here and he's here and she'd better spit it out. He's waiting. "It's just... I was wondering, because you're here, and I didn't mean to be an annoyance, or anything, because I know I can do that sometimes, and I know the timing is really, really bad but, well I haven't seen her and she kinda has trouble making friends, and I was wondering if I could- well- can I see Penny? Just for a minute? Just to say... hi."  
His eyes change.  
"She- she is with you, isn't she?"  
"I'm sorry, Ruby." He sounds sad, and even though he's an adult and adults are really good at lying to little children, she knows he's telling the truth. "She's not with me."  
"Oh. Well, where is she? Maybe I could drop by and visit, while I'm here? I'm sure Weiss wouldn't mind! I mean, not that it's normal to just drop by a General's headquarters while you're on vacation, and I'm not sure how that would work but, I mean, could I?"  
"It's not-" He struggles with his words. That's not normal. "Penny is dead, Ruby." Her eyes widen, her expression quivers.  
"You didn't fix her?"  
He can't say anything. He just looks at her, his mouth open as if he wants to say something, but he's incapable of articulating it.  
"I'm sorry."  
"But it's not like she's a human and she's so hard to fix! She's a robot, she's special, she's-"  
"I know, Ruby." He keeps saying her name, as if he's trying really really hard to apologize. "She was very special."  
"She wasn't important enough to fix? Is that what it is?"  
"Of course not." He sounds hurt. "She was incredible special, in more ways than you know. She was... one of a kind."  
Ruby has tears in her eyes.  
"Then why didn't you fix her?"  
"I can't." James admits it. "Atlas will not allow it. Now that the public has seen her there is distrust among all the nations, even among Atlesians. If they were to find out we were continuing with the experiments-"  
"Then don't tell them." Ruby cut him off, her eyes narrow and her fists clenched. Her voice was hard with determination. "Why do they have to know?"  
James sighs, frustrated.  
"It's not that simple."  
"Why isn't it?" Ruby cries, her heartbreak finally pouring out. She waited so long to see Penny, so long. She was sure they'd fix her, she just assumed it. Penny was a robot, it would be so easy, why wouldn't they?  
"I know how much she meant to you." James said softly. "Believe me, I do."  
Ruby didn't say anything, she just turned away, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
"She used to tell me all about you." James said softly. "You meant a lot to her too. I never thought an android could have such strong feelings of attachment to a human but..." He trailed off. He was just talking to himself. Ruby sniffled and wiped her eyes.  
"I'm truly sorry."  
Ruby didn't respond. So James left it at that and walked away, his own heart aching.


End file.
